WhatsApp Privacy Archives - Gizmochina

WhatsApp privacy features including Screenshot Blocking, Leaving Groups Silently & more announced

Sudhanshu — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 04:40:15 +0000

WhatsApp has recently been testing many new privacy-focused features in its beta build like login approval and phone number sharing in WhatsApp groups. The platform has even extended the time limit for deleting your messages for everyone in the latest update.

Now, Mark Zuckerberg has announced that the instant messaging platform will soon get even more advanced privacy features in the near future. These capabilities allow you to hide your online status, quietly leave WhatsApp groups, and prevent screenshots from being taken during certain discussions. So let’s take a closer look at these upcoming features.

“New privacy features coming to WhatsApp: exit group chats without notifying everyone, control who can see when you’re online, and prevent screenshots on view once messages. We’ll keep building new ways to protect your messages and keep them as private and secure as face-to-face conversations,” said Zuckerberg in a post on Facebook.

In the near future, users will have the ability to exit groups silently, that is, without alerting anyone or leaving a trail in the chat history. Users will also be able to prevent screenshots on view-once messages, which is a long-awaited feature. This is a highly requested feature and should’ve been part of the View Once feature since day one.

The final feature is also a long-awaited one. It is the ability to choose who you wish to share your online status with. While the capability of hiding your online status will be made accessible in September, the capability of leaving WhatsApp groups quietly is anticipated to be made available later this month. The screenshot blocking for view once messages won’t be available until a future date that Whatsapp hasn’t yet announced.

WhatsApp introduces new Safety Features: Flash Calls and Message Level Reporting

Sudhanshu — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:05:50 +0000

Lately, WhatsApp has been hard at work to provide improved features and better security measures to its instant messaging platform user base. The latest of which comes in the form of ‘message-level reporting’ and ‘flash calls’.

Message level reporting

Users can now report accounts to WhatsApp by flagging a specific message with the message-level reporting feature. This can be done by long-pressing a particular message to either report or block a user. This feature saves you a few clicks when it comes to blocking a user. On the other hand, the message level report may come in handy when dealing with spam messages, targeted harassment, unsolicited messages, or messages of an illegal or criminal nature. In its latest transparency report, WhatsApp says that it banned over 2.2 million accounts in September alone.

Flash calls

The new “Flash call” enables Android users who are installing or re-installing WhatsApp on their devices to verify their phone number with an automated call instead of an SMS. WhatsApp claims that this is a much safer option, given that it takes place all from within the app.

WhatsApp has recently also released features that help enhance the user experience like vanishing messages, View once messages, and a new feature under testing that will allow you to hide your last seen from specific people in your contact list.

Previously, we also reported on WhatsApp’s ‘multiple device’ feature that removes the requirement for your smartphone to be online to use the messaging platform on other devices. You can read more about this feature here.

WhatsApp postpones new Privacy Policy cut-off date to May 15; Explains the changes in Detail

Balaji S — Sat, 16 Jan 2021 12:50:10 +0000

Right from the day WhatsApp announced its changes in Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, it has been facing a lot of backlash. Users on Social media have been expressing their disapproval and some are even recommending alternatives. As a result, rivals like Telegram and Signal have witnessed millions of downloads recently. To end this, WhatsApp has now given an explanation and postponed the cut-off date.

WhatsApp tweeted that it’s working constantly to counter the confusion on the privacy of users’ messages and Account suspension. Through a blog post, it has now announced the extension of the cut-off date to May 15, 2021. Also, WhatsApp clearly says that it won’t delete anyone’s account on February 8 which was earlier the last date for users to accept the new update changes.

Speaking of which, in case you are unaware, WhatsApp recently updated its privacy policy and terms of service. Accordingly, it added new sections about business chats and sharing of data with other Facebook companies.

However, People started spreading the news that WhatsApp gets access to Private messages and locations. To this, WhatsApp now says that they are protected by end-to-end encryption and neither Facebook/WhatsApp can access it.

Thank you to everyone who’s reached out. We're still working to counter any confusion by communicating directly with @WhatsApp users. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on Feb 8 and we’ll be moving back our business plans until after May – https://t.co/H3DeSS0QfO

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) January 15, 2021

Through the blog post, WhatsApp also says that it will continue to follow the things that it did before as shown below:

No access to users’ private messages by WhatsApp/Facebook
WhatsApp doesn’t store logs of Messages/call info.
WhatsApp/Facebook can’t see your Shared Location.
WhatsApp doesn’t share your contacts with Facebook.
WhatsApp Groups are Private.
You can make your messages disappear(via Disappearing Messages)
Locally Download your data anytime.

That said, WhatsApp still stands by the update changes regarding Businesses, Payments, and concurrently Facebook’s help. Precisely, some businesses that use Facebook’s hosting services might run on WhatsApp too. WhatsApp will label them separately so you can make your choice as to whether chat with them/not.

It further mentions clauses about Discovering businesses from Facebook/Instagram Ads and using their shopping experiences on WhatsApp. Simply put, the update excludes sharing info like personal messages, contacts & location to Facebook.

Nevertheless, WhatsApp is now moving back the date for accepting the terms. During this period, we can expect more explanation about privacy in future before the business options go live on May 15.

The post WhatsApp postpones new Privacy Policy cut-off date to May 15; Explains the changes in Detail appeared first on Gizmochina.